Improvement in apiaries or bee-houses



WILLIAM EItWIN, OF PAINTED POST, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN APIARIES OR BEE-HOUSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 207,958, dated September 10, 1878; application filed August 2, 1878.

lowing is a full, clear, and exact descriptionl thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of an apiary or beehouse, as will be hereinaftermore fully set forth.

In the annexed drawings, to which reference is made, and which fully illustrate my invention, Figure l is a perspective view of my bee-house with the end wall removed to show the interior. Fig. 2 is a plan of 'the ground floor. Fig. 3 is a perspective view in detail of some of the pockets.

A represents a house of any suitable dimensions, having a door, B, at one end to gain access to the house. Along both sides of this house are built four tiers of pockets, C, one above the other, and a column of four similar pockets is builtin the center of the rear gable.

The siding, which is made of matched boards, A makes also the outer ends of the pockets on.

the sides and rear gable andthe front sides ofthe pockets in front. Each pocket is closed by means of a lid, D, which can be easily removed by means of strips or handles a fastcned to them. NVithin each pocket is placed a bee-hive, F, which I prefer to make of the form and construction shown and described in a separate application for patent made by me; but any bee-hive may be used in this beehouse.

The entrance of the bee-hive is made to correspond with an entrance, b, in the wall of this bee-house into each pocket. Opposite each entrance b is placed a wooden piece, d, inside of the pocket, cut out to correspond with said entrance. This piece d keeps the hive F away from the wall of the bee-house a sufficient distance to prevent the crushing of any bees 5 and it also prevents the bees from getting into the pockets through any inequal-V ities in the front of the hive or in the beards forming the fronts of the pockets.

.ln the center of the bee-house I propose to erect suitable shelving for storing surplus boxes, honey, and necessary tools. Onthe outside of the bee-house are made four shelves or landings, G G, the entire length on both sides and in front of the pockets at the rear gable, the upper sides of said landings being level with the entrances b, and having the same pitch as the roof. These landings are partitioned, and form a box corresponding with each pocket, and furnish protection to the entrance, making a convenient landing for the bees and separating the colonies outside the hives.

To relieve the monotonous appearance of these outside pockets and save the perplexity and confusion that might arise from the same ness, they should be washed or painted different colors or shades.

By the arrangement of this bee-houseevery convenience for the comfort and benefit of the bees and profit for the owners is subserved. Thereneed not be any confusion or diiiiculty from the proximity of Athe colonies; and when the bees are in the Vhives placed in the pockets they are farther separated than they are many times in the garden, and the garden and lawn thereby relieved of a great y nuisance.

By the use of the pockets inside, thesurA plus honey may be taken,'the boxes replaced, each colony fed, watered, and salted at pleas ure or need, without attracting the bees from other colonies inside or outside and without coming in contact with the bees.

By the use of this bec-house the bee-keeper is enabled to protect both bees and honey by lock and key.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The wooden pieces d, in combination with the pockets C and the hives placed therein, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

2. The bec house A, constructed as dei scribed, with tiers of disconnected pockets O, having separate doors and beeentrances,

hives F, placed in Jche pockets, exterior pock# ets G, corresponding with the interior pockets C, and notched pieces d, placed opposite the bee-entrance in each interior pocket, all substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afxed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM ERWIN.

Witnesses SAML. E. GILBERT, A. B. HURD. 

